


Conclusion and Self-Restraint

by Minuete



Series: His and Her Angst [22]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, Post-Episode: s03e13 Syzygy, jealous scully, tumblr ask
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2018-11-22
Packaged: 2019-08-27 09:43:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16700077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minuete/pseuds/Minuete
Summary: Tumblr ask from kateyes224: So how do you think the conversation went on the drive back from Comity re Det. White?





	Conclusion and Self-Restraint

“Sure. Fine. Whatever,” Mulder said as he stuffed the map back into the glove compartment. Scully remained silent ignoring what Mulder was saying to her, clenching her jaw as she continued to fume over the absurdity of the case. She overheard Mulder telling his theory to Detective White after the tremors at the precinct. Cosmic phenomenon? Jupiter-Uranus opposition? This is what Mulder plans to draft in the report? Should she get a tarot card reading for additional reference? She felt a twinge of grief as an image of Missy flashed through her mind. Missy would’ve had a field day about this case if she were still alive.

From her peripheral vision, she could see Mulder tensely gripping the door handle and the middle console. Scully eased off the gas pedal when she realized she was going over 90 mph on the empty stretch of road. She sighed, suddenly feeling drained from today’s events, as she slowed the car to pull over to the side of the road and turned off the engine. Mulder leaned back against his seat, seemingly relaxing himself. There was a tense beat of silence, neither of them directly looking at the other.

“Mass hysteria,” Scully stated breaking the silence still looking ahead above the steering wheel. “Mass hysteria derived from a number of extraordinary causes of deaths that occurred in a small town.”

“Really? That’s your final answer?” Mulder asked in disbelief. “You were there, Scully! You saw exactly what I saw. How do you explain the weird TV channels all showing the same Three Stooges scene? The guns and rifles going off in the precinct?”

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m even venturing to say that we may have further increased the mass hysteria with your horned beast comment at the morgue,” Scully continued her train of thought ignoring Mulder’s response, “News of Feds arriving in a small town was bound to cause sensationalism.”

“I guess we’ll be turning in separate reports, and I was merely affirming what Detective White saw on the body.”

“You sure you weren’t extending more than affirmation?” Scully scoffed shaking her head. Mulder groaned as he rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands before running his hands through his hair out of frustration.

“Says the person who refuses to see the case as a cosmic event, yet is adept at jumping to conclusions with what you saw in my motel room.”

“I wasn’t the one doing the jumping, Mulder,” she clarified turning her head towards him.

“Neither was I.” Mulder glared at her. “Look, Scully, you know how I take the work seriously. You’d think I’d risk losing the X-Files over a romp in the sack with the lead detective in the case?” Scully wanted to respond, but Mulder halted her with a raised hand. “Fine. Let’s entertain the idea that Detective White and I were hooking up. Wouldn’t you think I’d be more discreet with my actions? At least close and lock my door?”

She looked away while she shifted in her seat, crossed her arms, and propped herself more upright as she pondered Mulder’s words and actions. He had been open about the video collection in the bottom desk drawer at the office since the beginning of their partnership. She even fielded phone calls during the first year at the office from the secretarial pool asking for Mulder, who would sheepishly answer, as she excused herself from the room to give him more privacy. Scully realized the phone calls had since stopped when she returned to the office after her abduction. Their work schedule had become more unpredictable, she reasoned, as the cases of late had them uncovering another layer of government conspiracy. Even if Mulder wanted to blow off some steam, he hadn’t blatantly performed any explicit acts while on duty. She could feel his intense stare on her as she mulled over what she thought she saw.

“I suppose you’re right,” she conceded glancing in his direction. Mulder let out a long breath as he slightly nodded. “Your indiscretions have more to do with bucking protocol to get to the bottom of the truth.”

Mulder chuckled, “I would like to thank my mother for raising me up to be a proper New England boy.” She eyed him skeptically.  
“You truly came in the nick of time, Scully, saving Detective White and me from further embarrassment. She pounced on me despite my reservations—“

“Reservations?” she asked with a hint of amusement mixed with disdain.

“ _Yes_. Scout’s honor: I was demonstrating self-restraint.”

“You were never a Boy Scout, Mulder.”

“Despite what you think of me, I’m a poster child for self-restraint. You’ll be amazed at how much I keep myself at bay from deviant behavior when I’m in work mode.”

Mulder gave a small smirk, his nonchalant demeanor highly contrasting the gleam in his eyes that heightened Scully’s awareness of him. She felt her heart skip a beat and chided herself for the involuntary reaction as she averted her eyes away first, turning her attention to the steering wheel.

“Where are we anyway?” she asked as she started up the car again. Mulder opened the glove compartment and grabbed the map.

 

 

 

 


End file.
